


Going Home

by HelenRichardson



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Epilogue, F/F, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Just gals being pals, actually tho my bff edited it for me, and i was like WAIT i need more content of these gals being in love, just kidding the only plot point in this entire thing is that they are LESBIANS, like the show ended right, no beta we die like shadow weaver, so i wrote it and here we are, so this is the only story on this cursed account that WAS beta read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:22:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29270208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelenRichardson/pseuds/HelenRichardson
Summary: Adora takes Catra to Bright Moon for the first time.(An epilogue to the series)
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 105





	Going Home

Catra had never been inside of Bright Moon’s palace before. It loomed over her now, all smooth white stone and gaping stained-glass windows. She tried to swallow down the tension that had knotted itself in her throat. Part of her couldn’t believe she was really here. After years in the Horde, then weeks hopping from spaceship to spaceship to refugee camp, the palace was almost too beautiful to be real. 

She hung back as the rest of the group made their way up the front steps, all of them eager to shed their battle-damaged clothes and tend to their injuries. Everyone was staying in Bright Moon tonight. Tomorrow, they would make a plan. They’d figure out which people needed the most help, which kingdoms needed the most reconstruction. But not tonight. The world had just been saved, after all. That called for some celebration, and maybe even a full night’s rest. 

“Hey.”

Adora had moved back to be beside her. Her hair was falling out of its ponytail, and her face and clothes bore marks from today’s fight. She was still the most beautiful person Catra had ever seen.

“Hey,” she said back.

“You haven’t been inside the palace yet, have you?” 

Catra shook her head. As they started to walk up the stairs, Catra gave the building another uneasy glance. “The last time I was even close to Bright Moon...well, it wasn’t exactly for a slumber party.”

“I always daydreamed about showing you this place one day,” Adora said. “It makes the Horde feel like an old rusty shack in comparison.”

It seemed guilt was becoming something of an old friend to Catra, always welling up inside her at the drop of a pin. She tried her best to force it down. “Looks like your dreams are coming true.”

“Yeah.” Ahead of them, the doors creaked open. As they climbed up the last few steps Catra sensed Adora looking at her. She didn’t need to turn her head to know that Adora’s face wore the same expression she’d been wearing all day: a mix of wonder and soft joy. “Looks like they are.”

They crossed the threshold together.

The inside of the palace was even more breathtaking than the outside. Smooth marble floors met pastel walls that melted into high vaulted ceilings. Gold outlined every doorway, every window, every detail. Light shone softly in through windows and skylights. Even the dust motes lingering in the air looked pretty, floating softly in the late-afternoon light.

After several speechless moments, she realized Adora was looking at her expectantly.

“Well?” Adora asked.

“It’s a step up from the Fright Zone, that’s for sure.” She couldn’t even find it in herself to be sarcastic.

Adora laughed and grabbed her in a hug that made Catra’s breath catch in her throat. She surprised herself by instinctively relaxing into it instead of stiffening up like she had done so often before. As they broke apart and Catra found herself unable to look away from Adora’s beaming face, a little voice in the back of her head remarked that she seemed to have gone soft awfully quickly.

Well, maybe that wasn’t a bad thing.

“Catra!” Glimmer appeared in front of the two of them, and Catra tore her eyes away from Adora with difficulty. Glimmer still seemed to be riding the euphoria of their victory. She was practically vibrating with excitement. “Do you have anything in the Fright Zone you want to bring here? I’m stopping by the other kingdoms to pick up some odds and ends. Mermista needs her special sea-kelp shampoo, and apparently Frosta has a  _ huge _ collection of ice cream she wants to share.”

Catra shook her head. “Not much over there worth salvaging.”

“Okay. Should we set you up in your own room, or…?”

Catra looked at Adora. “I’m okay sharing,” she said. “If you are.”

Adora blushed. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

“Good!” Glimmer looked between the two of them, and her grin morphed into something a little less innocent. “Hold on.” She disappeared, but before Adora and Catra could share more than a confused glance she was back again, this time with Bow in tow.

“So,” she said, grinning knowingly, “is it official?”

“Official? What do you-” Adora’s expression changed from confusion to understanding. “Ohhhhh.” 

Catra snorted. Adora glanced over at her questioningly, and she nodded slightly. “Um, yes. Yes it is.”

“I knew it!” Glimmer was practically jumping up and down. She turned to face Bow triumphantly. “See? I  _ told _ you.”

Bow sighed good-naturedly. “Okay, fine. You’ve won.”

“Were you two  _ betting _ ?” Catra couldn’t help but be amused. “On whether or not we’d…”

“See, Bow thought Adora wouldn’t crack until at least a month after we saved you,” Glimmer said. 

“It was a fair assessment!” he protested. “You’d both been through a lot, and, I mean, sometimes working things out takes time.” He directed that last part mostly at Glimmer, but there was an undeniable fondness in his voice.

Glimmer turned to Catra. “You should’ve heard the way Adora used to talk about you,” she said. She wrapped an arm around Bow’s waist and looked up at him happily. “I don’t know how this fool thought it’d take longer than a couple of weeks at most.”

Catra grinned at Adora. “Aw, you used to talk about me?”

“I-” Adora’s face was bright red.

“Oh, you have  _ no _ idea. But anyway.” Glimmer stopped making eyes at Bow and turned back to them. “Adora can show you around, there’s a shower connected to your room and if you need anything just ask. Dinner will probably be a bit late, I have no idea what state the pantry’s in but it’s probably not good.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Adora said. “And Glimmer, make sure you make time to relax yourself, okay?”

“A queen never rests,” Glimmer said snobbishly, making both of them giggle. “I should get going now. See you guys tonight!” And with that she was gone, only a few sparkles floating in the space she’d just been.

Bow ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “I don’t know how she does it,” he said. “Personally, I feel like I need a year-long nap.”

Adora yawned. “Count me in.” She turned to Catra. “Do you want me to show you our room?”

Catra nodded absently. The teasing, jovial atmosphere had melted away, leaving her feeling...strange. “Sure.” As they slipped into a hallway, she found herself glancing at the space where Glimmer had been. “She didn’t even ask,” she mumbled to herself.

Adora glanced at her. “What?”

“She just assumed I was going to live here.”

Adora stopped, her expression instantly turning into one of concern. “Oh no. Is that a bad thing? Do you want to live somewhere else? We can set you up somewhere different if you want. I should’ve asked, I’m-”

“No! No…” Catra struggled to find the words. “It’s a good thing.” She forced herself to meet Adora’s eyes. “It’s...different, when you’re hiding out in the woods or sleeping in the brig of a spaceship. After everything, I hadn’t thought...”

Understanding flitted across Adora’s face, and she laid a hand on her shoulder gently. “We want you here,” she said softly. “ _ I _ want you here.”

Catra tried to swallow the lump in her throat. “Right,” she said, her voice strained. “I just…”  _ I didn’t let myself hope for it.  _ “I didn’t expect it. That’s all.”

Adora leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You think you could get rid of me that easily?”

Catra’s stomach became a mess of butterflies, and she felt her body relax. She grinned. “I should’ve known better.”

Adora’s laugh rang out through the hallway. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go home.”

_ Home _ . She hadn’t used that word in a long time. But as she and Adora traversed the hallways of the palace together, Catra couldn’t help but be excited to use it again.

The room was messy. Blankets were on the floor, pillows scattered haphazardly over the mattress. There were clothes piled up next to the closet, and more than a few items had slash marks; from She-Ra practice sessions, she assumed. Everything was coated in a thin layer of dust. 

Catra loved it. Colored light shone in from circular stained-glass windows, making patterns on the rumpled sheets and pillows. The room smelled like Adora.

“Oh, jeez. What a mess.” Adora took in the room like she was remembering an old friend. “I haven’t been back here since...wow. Since the night Bow and I committed treason and stole a spaceship to go to Beast Island.”

Catra felt a hot ball of shame rise up in her throat and pushed it down quickly before it could ruin the moment. “I didn’t realize your taste in decor was so...frilly,” she said dryly.

“Ha! If you think  _ this _ is frilly, you should see Glimmer’s room, “Adora said. “Or even any of the guest rooms. It was a struggle just to get things down to this level.” She looked around the room again. “But we can always change things, if you’d prefer it. I know it’s probably not like what you’re used to.”

“That’s...a good thing.” Catra glanced around the room again. “I like it.”

She hadn’t been lying, but the way Adora brightened at her words made her glad she didn’t need to. Her smile was a precious thing. Catra wanted to spend the rest of her life making Adora smile.

Adora glanced down at the mess. “You can shower first,” she said. “I’ll deal with this. Bathroom is over there.” She gestured with her head towards the left side of the room.

“I can help, if you like,” Catra offered.

Adora raised her eyebrows playfully. “You have never made a bed in your life.” Catra grinned sheepishly, and she laughed. “Don’t worry about it. We can figure out a fair division of labor another night.”

Catra nodded and slipped into the bathroom, which turned out to be just as luxurious as the rest of the palace. Everything was made of white marble, with golden faucets and the softest, plushest rug beneath her feet. The Fright Zone showers were constantly running out of hot water, but here she could turn the faucet to the highest setting and keep it there. The water stung as it ran over her skin, reminding her that she had spent that very morning fighting a monster from a dead civilization. Had it really been just this morning? It seemed like years ago. Catra rubbed soap into her skin and tried not to wince when the stinging got worse.

Once out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a towel and wiped steam from the mirror so she could see her reflection. It stared back at her, battered and bruised. But clean. She would heal, she knew. But that didn’t do anything to ease the self-consciousness she felt. Did she really belong here, covered in a towel that felt as soft as a cloud, smelling slightly like floral soap? Everything here was so...beautiful. Good. Catra turned away from her reflection.

But when she stepped into the bedroom, and Adora looked up at her and smiled like she had been waiting with baited breath to see her again, her uncertainty from the moment before melted away.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt this clean in my life.” Catra wrinkled her nose. “I probably smell like a perfumery.”

Adora snorted and stood up. “You can dump your clothes in the hamper if you like. There’s a lot of stuff in my closet that I’ve never worn. I think some of it will fit you.”

“Okay.”

Adora went into the bathroom, and Catra started exploring the closet. Most of it was too feminine for her (and probably Adora, too), but in the end she found a plain black pair of pants and a burgundy knitted sweater. The sweater was slightly too big, but it would do.

When Adora came out several minutes later, Catra was sitting in a plush armchair trying not to fall asleep. Adora’s hair had been brushed out and hung loose, still slightly damp. “Have you seen a hair tie anywhere?” she asked. She caught sight of Catra and tried to stifle a giggle. 

Catra felt her cheeks grow hot. “What?”

“I like the sweater on you,” she said. “It’s cute.”

She couldn’t decide whether to get frustrated or flustered. So she settled for staring at the floor.

“Are you...blushing?” Adora’s voice was mock-incredulous, full of laughter.

“No!” She said reflexively. “Shut up!” She hesitated for a moment, then met Adora’s eyes sheepishly. “Maybe.”

Adora’s laugh was infectious. Catra found herself laughing along. 

Dinner was a quiet affair. By the time it was ready the sun had set and the palace was illuminated by glowing balls of golden light. Everyone was tired, but there was a type of quiet happiness that permeated the room. They were still celebrating their victory, and probably would be for a long time.

They ate in what Adora told her used to be the war room; it was the only room in the palace big enough to fit all of them and small enough to not be a banquet hall. One of the corners held a mess of crumpled papers and figurines that had been hastily cleared off of the circular table; maps and sheets of data about soldiers, big red Xs everywhere. Catra tried not to look over at it while she ate.

Of course, the food was the most delicious thing she’d ever tasted. None of the protein-powder concoctions from the spaceship or stale bread from the Fright Zone could compare to this.

“Is everything here just magically better than everything I’ve ever known?” she asked Adora, only half joking.

“Honestly? Pretty much, yeah.” Adora smiled, shining with the same happiness that was reflected in every face at the table.

Catra tried to picture her future. Getting to live like  _ this _ for the rest of her life. She still couldn’t quite wrap her head around it.

By the time dinner was over, Catra felt dead on her feet. She hadn’t been this tired since those last few days before Horde Prime arrived, back when she was staying up all night to make sure the conquest went perfectly. Back then, her tiredness felt gritty, lingering in the back of her mind like a headache. But this time, it felt warm. Comfortable, almost.

They made their way back to their room.  _ Their _ room. Adora went over to the wardrobe and tossed her a baggy shirt and some pants to sleep in. She changed quickly, leaving her other clothes on the floor to deal with in the morning.

When Adora climbed into bed, Catra hesitated for a long moment before joining her. Slowly, she climbed on top of the covers, leaned back against the headboard. Pulled her knees up to her chest. Looked over at Adora, who had propped herself up by one elbow and was watching her. 

“You okay?” Adora whispered. 

“Yeah.” Catra forced the word out. She almost jumped when Adora started to sit up. 

“What’s wrong?” Her voice was so soft, so concerned. 

Catra shook her head. “Nothing. It’s just…” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Everything is so perfect here,” she said quietly. And she could have had it years ago. “I’m...having a hard time believing this is real.”

It was quiet for a moment. Then, “I think I know how you feel.”

When she opened her eyes, Adora’s gaze was distant. Moonlight shone in through the window, illuminating her from behind. She looked almost ethereal. “It’s been a long time since I let myself think about the future,” she said. “It’s still sinking in. That it’s all over. That…” her eyes focused on Catra again. “You’re here.”

“I didn’t think I’d ever end up here,” she said. “But somehow, I did.” She tried to resist the urge to yawn, but one broke through anyway. Before she fully realized what she was doing, she had pulled the covers over her and was settling down into the soft mattress. 

Adora followed suit, and then they were lying opposite each other, neither one willing to be the first to tear her eyes away from the other.

“Somehow, we have a future,” Adora said, voice barely audible. “I don’t know what to do with it.”

“Well…” Catra looked away, then met her eyes again. “What do you want to do?”

Quiet for a long moment.

“Right now, I just want to hold you.”

Catra’s breath caught in her throat. Ever so slowly, she inched her hand closer to Adora’s. Adora took the hint and pulled her in close, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and tangling her fingers in her hair. Catra draped her arm over Adora’s side, trying all the while to convince herself she wasn’t dreaming. What had she ever done to deserve this? In what world, after all she had done, did she get to be held by Adora?

Gently, almost reverently, Adora ran her fingertips over the side of Catra’s face, sending every nerve inside her buzzing. And even if she still couldn’t quite believe this was real yet, Catra thought she could get used to it anyway. She pressed her fingers into Adora’s back, grabbed on to a small bit of her shirt. The world would end before she let go. 

When the two of them fell asleep, curled up in each other’s arms, Catra’s last thought before she slipped under was that she had never in her life felt so warm. 


End file.
